In celebration of our first-ever issue in 2011 hosting Little Interviews, we’ve spoken a few familiar faces that featured in the debut edition of Pro Landscaper to answer some updated questions. From reflections over the last 15 years, to what’s coming up next, 44Group founders and industry members alike give us the down-low in this issue’s quickfire questions.
Jamie Wilkinson
Chief executive officer, 44Group
What’s your favourite thing 44Group has launched?
The Pro Landscaper Project Awards and Summer Party. I love how fun it is and how different it feels to traditional awards, while still celebrating the industry.
What goals did you have for the company when it was set up?
The intention was always to bring together the different parts of the industry and promote all the positive things it has to offer. That’s still at the heart of what we do today.
What has been your biggest learning curve over the last 15 years?
That things often take longer than I want them to. I think being impatient and wanting to make things happen quickly is a good thing, but I’ve also learnt that sometimes taking a little more time can be a good thing too.
What is coming up at 44Group that you are most looking forward to?
There’s so much — a new venue for FutureScape, new people joining the team, seeing our existing team develop, and continuing our international growth. It feels like we’re entering a really exciting stage of the business.
Jim Wilkinson
Co-founder and former director, 44Group
What’s your favourite thing 44Group has launched?
My favourite in my time has to be the magazines, closely followed by the Business Awards and then 30 Under 30 Awards. The magazine was the fundamental foundation and the first step in bringing all sectors of the UK landscaping industry together.
What goals did you have for the company when it was set up?
Unite all sectors of the industry and of course for the business to be profitable.
How has the industry grown or changed over the past 15 years?
The big change was how much green space impacts all of our lives, environment and quality of life.
What was the best part of building this business with your family?
Just seeing everyone, grow and add their value in different ways.
Who are you inspired by?
Jamie Wilkinson and his management team – they have really driven the business forward.
Lisa Wilkinson
Co-founder and former director, 44Group
What goals did you have for the company when it was set up?
Our vision was to bring all the various sectors of the industry together, it was quite fractured at the time so we felt that bringing together and creating a ‘landscape community’ would strengthen and give greater gravitas to the sector.
How has the industry grown or changed over the past 15 years?
It is now seen as a stable and rewarding career path and with the right guidance, training and commitment – the sky’s the limit.
What was the best part of building this business with your family?
The obvious answer is spending every day with Jim and the boys, when most people I knew would have been waving their children off to university or seeing their partners for just a couple of hours a day!
What has been your biggest learning curve over the last 15 years?
There have been many learning curves! I am generally rather risk averse whilst Jim and Jamie are much less so – I learnt that sometimes it’s ok to lean into ideas without worrying about the outcome.
What would the title of your biography be?
The Life We Designed, Built and Maintain
Karl Harrison
Decking guy, www.deckingnetwork.com
What has been a highlight for you over the last 15 years?
It has to be working with Mark Gregory on the design and construction of the decking within the moat for Superbloom at the Tower of London. To create something at the Tower of London as part of the celebrations for the late Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee was an absolute privilege, and one of those projects that will always stay with me.
Have the challenges in your job remained the same or changed over the last 15 years?
Nope. Remarkably, many of the challenges are exactly the same.
There are heaps of regulations, standards, structural requirements and manufacturers’ installation instructions surrounding decking, yet a surprising amount of the industry still appears blissfully unaware that many of them exist.
What’s one innovation or change you hope to see in the next 15 years?
I would like to see decking properly recognised as a construction discipline rather than simply
What would the title of your biography be?
For Deck’s Sake. Although my publisher may have other ideas.
Liz hughes
Marketing manager, Provender Nurseries
What has been a highlight for you over the last 15 years?
The main highlight is still being in the industry; it has been a lifetime of plants and excellent people, I could not think of a better trade to be involved in.
Have the challenges in your job remained the same or changed over the last 15 years?
So much has happened in the last 15 years; Covid, Brexit, extreme weather and more frequent temporary use bans. Each of these brings challenges in themselves and the appropriate message to our clients needs to be considered, constructive and informative. With all of the challenges listed above, which can all move and indeed do change direction on a daily basis, the challenge remains the same; research, absorb and inform.
What’s one innovation or change you hope to see in the next 15 years?
I would like to see a huge change in the availability to water with more reservoirs being built and especially more government funding and support for the growers. The industry needs more stability in water availability and pricing in order to be able to continue to provide plants for domestic and commercial designs.
What would you say is the best thing about your job?
Plants and People.
The ever-changing scenery of the seasons. I am lucky enough to walk the nursery on a regular basis for image taking, customer visits and student tours. Each day I notice something new, either in flower, autumn leaf colour, scent or bark colour.
Lucy Bravington,
Garden designer, Lucy Bravington Design
What has been a highlight for you over the last 15 years?
The top one would have to be creating my first show garden and being awarded a Platinum Medal and Best Construction Award for my High Line garden at BBC Gardeners’ World Live in 2019.
How has the industry grown or changed over the past 15 years?
I can’t believe it’s been 15 years since I completed an interview for the very first issue of Pro Landscaper! The industry feels like it has grown massively, but in many ways the core people within it haven’t changed. It has always been a very welcoming industry, and that still feels very much the same.
What’s one innovation or change you hope to see in the next 15 years?
I hope AI complements our industry rather than becoming a nuisance! I do worry that it could become the new version of the garden TV show – creating unrealistic expectations and convincing clients that they can have everything for nothing.
What would you say is the best thing about your job?
The variety. No two gardens or briefs are ever the same, and I also get to be involved in so many different aspects of the industry.
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